The purpose of the Detail is to help keep you informed of the current
state of affairs in the latent print community, to provide an avenue to
circulate original fingerprint-related articles, and to announce
important events as they happen in our field.

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Breaking NEWz you can UzE...

by Kasey Wertheim

FBI confirms Gerhartsreiter’s identityBoston Herald, United States -Aug 15, 2008Investigators used a total of four fingerprints - one recently taken from a wine glass in Boston, two from his recent police booking in Baltimore and Boston ...

Bad Science in CourtNew York Times Blogs, NY -Aug 14, 2008A 2006 UK study by researchers at the University of Southampton found that the error rate of fingerprint analysts doubled when they were first told the ...

Updated the Smiley Files with 2 new smileys, submitted by Lora Cornell of
Ideal Innovations Inc. You can send your smileys to the Smiley Czar, Bill Wolz
at: ridgeranger21@yahoo.com.

Updated the Detail Archives

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Last week

George Reis brought us a look at forensic digital image asset management.
Thanks to all that offered feedback to George, and if you have not yet done
so but would like to, George can still be reached over the next few weeks
regarding your feedback on this topic.

This week

we look at the latest version of the Department of Defense, Biometrics Task
Force "Biometric Scan" newsletter, portions of which mention latent prints
or latent print related projects.

It’s an exciting time to be in the biometrics field.
This issue of The Scan reports on several recent achievements toward Unity
of Effort among government agencies, industry, and academia to bring
cohesion within this enabling technology. Recently, the BTF hosted the "Next
Generation Biometrics" Warfare Analysis Laboratory Exercise, where we met
with leading innovators from industry and academia to consider technology in
the future. We are also helping sponsor the Tactical Network Topology
events, which test emerging technologies and find solutions.

Our lead story covers the first-ever DoD Biometrics Enterprise Strategic
Plan, which helps articulate and direct how the BTF supports the overall
Department of Defense Enterprise solution for biometrics. As you can see
from our link to the new Presidential directive, biometrics plays a major
role in the security of our nation and requires unity of effort. In the Q&A
section, read how BTF Standards are leading those needs.

Finally, we have reports in from the updated Broad Agency Announcement and
Biometric Technology Demonstration releases, and news from TRADOC on its
progress in writing requirements that will allow biometrics to become a
formal program of record.

I often say, as the Director of the Biometrics Task Force, I am a glorified
cat-herder among disparate collectors of biometrics. At times like these,
when we all seem to be heading in the same direction and showing great
results, the job is more than enjoyable, it is richly rewarding. I hope you
are enjoying your work as well.

Dr. Myra S. Gray, SES
Director, Biometrics Task Force

TNT Sets Off Long-Range Experiments

Biometrics playing a larger role in Tactical Network Topology joint
experimentation venue that spans three locations . . .

Stepping into a new role as co-sponsor, the Biometrics Task Force has joined
the Naval Post-graduate School of Monterey, Ca., in hosting the U.S. Special
Operations Command quarterly cooperative field experiment venue known as
Tactical Network Topology. TNT is a simultaneous demonstration of new
technologies between three locations: Camp Dawson, W.Va., Camp Roberts, Ca.,
and Camp Atterbury, IN.

TNT provides an experimentation venue to support the near-term needs of the
warfighter by evaluating and improving biometric capabilities and
communication architectures used to collect, store, and transmit biometric
data. The series of quarterly field experiments is currently focused on
technologies bridging the information gap in the “Last Tactical Mile,”
headquarters to tactical units in remote locations. Future experiments will
build upon the lessons from the “Last Tactical Mile” experiments to develop
new biometrics activities, some of which will be created by the BTF
Concepts & Technologies (C&T) Branch for inclusion in TNT.

The roots of the current TNT cooperative field experimentation program began
in 2002 when the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) conducted experiments in a
field environment to assess various technologies and concepts being used at
the NPS. Joint experimentation began when SOCOM personnel visited the NPS to
leverage the faculty and its student expertise. SOCOM and the NPS combined
efforts, which eventually led to the creation of the TNT venue. BTF
involvement began in May of 2005, according to Jon Hayes, TNT’s biometrics
project manager and part of the C&T Branch. Hayes executes TNT experiments
at Camp Dawson and leads engineering projects related to TNT biometric
experimentation. His work at the BTF allows him to interface with various
vendors and technologies to identify and evaluate new biometrics activities
and initiatives for inclusion in TNT.

The BTF began hosting TNT experiments from Camp Dawson a year ago, focusing
on biometrics and supporting technologies. The C&T and the Technology
Assessment and Standards Conformance (TASC) Branches have participated in
TNT to support concept development, conduct technology assessments, and
identify tactical capabilities and limitations in Special Operations Forces
(SOF) biometric collection and matching processes as they exist today.

Dr. Gray and other members of the BTF leadership observed the May 08 TNT
event, which was the largest yet at Camp Dawson. The disparate locations
help test rapid identification efforts on wireless networks, unmanned or
autonomous vehicles, sensor networks, situational awareness, net-centric
applications, target tracking and identification, and biometric
identification and verification. Measures of performance for each of the
demonstrated technologies are collected by Special Operations Forces
operators, engineers and technicians. Requirements gaps and technical
shortfalls are then addressed and improvements are made for the next
quarterly experiment.

Experimentation has included biometric technologies that: enable the
collection of multimodal biometric data (face and iris) both covertly and
overtly and from a stand-off location, collect iris images and provide
location matching services, relate law enforcement tactics and systems to
military scenarios, enhance latent fingerprint image collections, and
showcase new and maturing biometric collection technologies. The next TNT
experiments will be August 17-22.

This two-day event served to gather members of the intelligence, government,
and academic communities in a collaborative effort to meet the challenges of
remote, unconventional, non-cooperative, next generation biometrics within
the government.

As sponsors of the event, BTF Director Dr. Myra Gray welcomed the group to
the APL’s Warfare Analysis Laboratory (WAL) and shared her aspirations for
the event to do more than identify the best biometric solutions for remote
human identification, saying, “What we are doing here today will make a
difference for the Global War on Terror.” Gray was followed by other leaders
in the biometrics community before the event began to evaluate biometric
technologies and their classified and unclassified applications in specific
scenarios.

The WAL facility is like a war simulation room with 53 work stations that
allow simultaneous electronic discussions. Information discussed within “the
WAL” is secure; however, BTF Latent Print Examiner Kasey Wertheim had some
general comments about the event. “Seeing the state-of-the-art technologies
being presented by the scientists who are actively working on them is a rare
treat in the biometric world.” Mr. Wertheim’s reference to scientists stems
from the cadre of seven PhD presenters over the course of the two-day
session. “Although specific capabilities are classified,” continued
Wertheim, “DoD is generally interested in the exploration of new biometric
modalities, capturing biometrics from moving subjects, and near-real-time
communication to systems from the field… and technology generally follows
the interests of government customers.”

BTF Selection Process Chooses Innovative Projects

As reported in the last issue of The Scan, the BTF is actively promoting the
identification and transition of biometric technology in the DoD by
soliciting proposals and selecting projects to fund for development. This
includes two Science & Technology-related initiatives: Biometric Technology
Demonstrations (BTD) – sponsored by the BTF, and Biometrics Broad Agency
Announcement (BAA) – sponsored by the Director, Defense Research &
Engineering.

We reported last quarter that 30 BTD project proposals had been considered.
Here is a list of the five selected for funding this fiscal year:

Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center
(CERDEC) Command and Control Directorate (C2D) will prototype and test its
Biometric Identification & Notification Services (BINS), to provide the
Warfighter with a means to analyze and verify biometric data captured in
theater, in near-real time;

Space Warfare Systems Center (SPAWARSYSCEN) Charleston will implement a
“Face Recognition at a Distance” capability to the existing Biometric Inmate
Tracking System (BITS) current in use at the Naval Consolidated Brig
Charleston;

Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) / U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) are
jointly sponsoring the development and testing of a DoD “Identity Enrollment
System”, to capture biometrics and identity documents, and to generate a
unique identifier for non-Common Access Card (CAC)-eligible personnel
requiring access;

Armament Research Engineering and Development Center (ARDEC), will build and
test an “Iris Recognition at Distance” system (3-6 meter range) in an
operational environment;

Army Research Office (ARO) will test and validate a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf
(COTS) “Interoperable Biometric Fusion Platform” technology for use with
large and disparate databases (using output data only), and establish a best
practices and framework for implementation.

Solicitations for the FY09 BTDs will take place in July and August 08.

The second initiative is the Biometrics Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The
fiscal year 2008 Biometrics BAA specifically requested proposals for unique
and innovative research for biometric identification research. Of the 175
proposals, 10 have been selected for funding. Below are the organizations
that received an award and the title of their project:

University of Houston for “Face Recognition for Physical and Logical Access
Control: Demonstration and Assessment”

The BAA is intended to remain open for two years to allow for additional
efforts as funding permits. Solicitations for the FY09 Biometrics BAA are
scheduled to begin this September.

Also noteworthy is the development of a Biometrics S&T Strategy, an ongoing
effort being sponsored by the Director, Defense Biometrics. MITRE
Corporation is working with the BTF and the service S&T organizations to
develop the S&T Strategy, which will fall within the umbrella of the DoD
Biometrics Enterprise Strategy. Once complete, the BTF will begin
development of the Biometrics S&T Plan and S&T Roadmap, also in conjunction
with the services and agencies within DoD. Together, these documents will
provide guidance to the DoD S&T community that will shape biometric S&T
efforts and provide our warfighters and business users with the future
capabilities they require to meet their mission.

Disclaimer:The intent of this is to provide thought provoking discussion.No claims of accuracy exist.

Question –
Blind Verification

What is Blind Verification?

Possible
Answers:

a)Blind verification is a method of reviewing a case,
or a conclusion in a case, for reliability.

b)Blind verification is a re-examination of a case or
a conclusion in a case by another person who doesn’t know the results of the
first examination.To do a
proper blind verification the verifier should have the same or equivalent
information that the original examiner had.

c)Blind verification is the ultimate way to validate
an identification.

d)Blind verification is method of testing a potential
conclusion for reproducibility (reliability)?

Discussion:

Answer a:Blind verification isn’t the review of what’s been done in the case
because the blind reviewer isn’t given any information to review.

Answer b:Blind verification is a re-examination if the person doing the blind
verification has the same or equivalent information that the original
examiner had.If they don’t
have the same or equivalent information then it may be considered a new
examination instead of a re-examination.

Answer c:Blind verification tests the reliability of a conclusion (the
reproducibility) but it doesn’t look at how the conclusion was arrived at
(the validity of the conclusion).Another topic for discussion regarding this answer is the use of the
term ‘identification’ vs. using the term ‘individualization’ (but that’s a
topic for another discussion).

Answer d:Blind verification is a new concept to the latent print community but
it’s common in other scientific disciplines.Many disciplines refer to it as blind testing.

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